Tailgate deactivation system

ABSTRACT

A tailgate deactivation system. A switch includes two terminals configured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate power circuit that supplies power to at least a portion of a tailgate of a vehicle, and an actuator configured to electrically couple the two terminals in an on state to allow power to flow in the tailgate power circuit, and to electrically decouple the two terminals in an off state to inhibit power from flowing in the tailgate power circuit.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/816,441, filed on Mar. 12, 2020, entitled “TAILGATEDEACTIVATION SYSTEM,” which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/896,878, filed on Sep. 6, 2019, entitled “TAILGATEDEACTIVATION SYSTEM,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/935,231,filed on Nov. 14, 2019, entitled “MANUAL TAILGATE DEACTIVATION SYSTEM,”the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Tailgates of vehicles that are capable of pivoting below the bed of thevehicle may impact towing apparatus, and damage the tailgate and/or thetowing apparatus.

SUMMARY

The embodiments disclosed herein include a tailgate deactivation systemthat deactivates the inner gate panel of a multi-panel tailgate toinhibit movement of the inner gate panel with respect to the primarygate panel, and thus prevent the inner gate panel from beinginadvertently pivoted downward into a towing apparatus that is coupledto the vehicle.

In a first embodiment a tailgate deactivation system is provided. Thetailgate deactivation system includes a switch, which includes twoterminals configured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate powercircuit that supplies power to at least a portion of a tailgate of avehicle, and an actuator configured to electrically couple the twoterminals in an on state to allow power to flow in the tailgate powercircuit, and to electrically decouple the two terminals in an off stateto inhibit power from flowing in the tailgate power circuit.

In another embodiment, a tailgate deactivation system is provided whichincludes a switch, the switch including two terminals configured to beelectrically coupled to a tailgate power circuit that supplies power toan inner gate panel of a multi-panel tailgate that includes a primarygate panel and the inner gate panel, and an actuator configured toelectrically couple the two terminals in an on state to allow power toflow in the tailgate power circuit to facilitate movement of the innergate panel with respect to the primary gate panel, and to electricallydecouple the two terminals in an off state to inhibit power from flowingin the tailgate power circuit to inhibit movement of the inner gatepanel with respect to the primary gate panel.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the disclosure andrealize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detaileddescription of the embodiments in association with the accompanyingdrawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part ofthis specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle with a multi-paneltailgate;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of a tailgate deactivation systemaccording to one embodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate various example actuation surfaces according todifferent embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tailgate deactivation systemillustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic of a hitch pin installation according toone embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic of a tailgate deactivation systemaccording to another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the tailgate deactivation systemillustrated in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic of a hitch pin installation according toanother embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the information to enablethose skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate thebest mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the followingdescription in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilledin the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and willrecognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressedherein. It should be understood that these concepts and applicationsfall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.

Any flowcharts discussed herein are necessarily discussed in somesequence for purposes of illustration, but unless otherwise explicitlyindicated, the embodiments are not limited to any particular sequence ofsteps. The use herein of ordinals in conjunction with an element issolely for distinguishing what might otherwise be similar or identicallabels, such as “first message” and “second message,” and does not implya priority, a type, an importance, or other attribute, unless otherwisestated herein. The term “about” used herein in conjunction with anumeric value means any value that is within a range of ten percentgreater than or ten percent less than the numeric value.

As used herein and in the claims, the articles “a” and “an” in referenceto an element refers to “one or more” of the element unless otherwiseexplicitly specified. The word “or” as used herein and in the claims isinclusive unless contextually impossible. As an example, the recitationof A or B means A, or B, or both A and B.

Certain vehicles, including pickup trucks, utilize multi-panel tailgatesthat include a primary gate panel and an inner gate panel, which allowoperators to quickly configure the tailgate into any of severaldifferent tailgate configurations. In certain configurations, when theprimary gate panel is positioned in a substantially horizontal plane(e.g., the tailgate is open), the inner gate panel is capable ofpivoting below the horizontal plane to a nearly vertical plane. If atowing apparatus, such as a ball mount system, has been installed on thevehicle, the inner gate panel is capable of impacting the towingapparatus and damaging the inner gate panel.

The embodiments disclosed herein include a tailgate deactivation systemthat deactivates the inner gate panel of a multi-panel tailgate toinhibit movement of the inner gate panel with respect to the primarygate panel, and thus prevent the inner gate panel from beinginadvertently pivoted downward into a towing apparatus that is coupledto the vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle 10 with a multi-paneltailgate 12. The multi-panel tailgate 12 includes a primary gate panel12-A and an inner gate panel 12-B, each of which may open (i.e., pivot)independently of one another. While for purposes of illustration themulti-panel tailgate 12 has only two panels, the embodiments hereinapply to multi-panel tailgates that have more than two panels. Thevehicle 10 may comprise any vehicle having a multi-panel tailgate inwhich at least one panel of the multi-panel tailgate, when opened, iscapable of pivoting below the bed of the vehicle 10. By way ofnon-limiting example, the multi-panel tailgate 12 may comprise a GMC®Sierra® brand pickup truck, such as Models 1500, 2500, and 3500, modelyears 2019, 2020, or the like, although the embodiments are not limitedto any particular vehicle or to any particular multi-panel tailgate.

The vehicle 10 includes a hitch receiver tube 14. A ball mount system 16is mounted within the hitch receiver tube 14. The ball mount system 16includes a shaft 18 that has two opposing shaft openings 20 (only oneshaft opening 20 seen in FIG. 1), and a trailer hitch ball 19. To couplethe ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube 14, the operatorinserts the shaft 18 into the hitch receiver tube 14 until the shaftopenings 20 align with two hitch pin openings 22 (only one hitch pinopening 22 seen in FIG. 1). A hitch pin (not illustrated) may then beinstalled into the hitch pin openings 22 and shaft openings 20 to lockthe ball mount system 16 with respect to the hitch receiver tube 14. Theembodiments disclosed herein prevent the inner gate panel 12-B of themulti-panel tailgate 12 from opening when a towing apparatus, such asthe ball mount system 16, is coupled to the hitch receiver tube 14 toprevent the inner gate panel 12-B from impacting the ball mount system16 and damaging the inner gate panel 12-B.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of a tailgate deactivation system 24-1according to one embodiment. The tailgate deactivation system 24-1includes a switch 26 coupled to a hitch receiver tube mount 28. Thehitch receiver tube mount 28 is configured to fix the switch 26 to thehitch receiver tube 14 of the vehicle 10 (FIG. 1). In this embodiment,the hitch receiver tube mount 28 comprises an L-bracket 30 that includesan adhesive (on the underside of the L-bracket 30) for coupling theL-bracket 30 to the hitch receiver tube 14. In other embodiments, thehitch receiver tube mount 28 may comprise a band that completelyencircles the hitch receiver tube 14, or may comprise any othermechanism suitable for fixing the switch 26 with respect to the hitchreceiver tube 14, such as simply an adhesive strip, or the like. TheL-bracket 30 may comprise any suitably rigid material, such as metal,plastic, or the like.

The switch 26 includes two terminals 32 configured to be electricallycoupled to a tailgate power circuit 34 that supplies power to at least aportion of the multi-panel tailgate 12 (FIG. 1). The tailgatedeactivation system 24-1 may include wires 36 coupled to the terminals32 that terminate in a plug 38 that can be press-connected with a plug40 of the tailgate power circuit 34. In other embodiments, where thetailgate power circuit 34 does not include a suitable plug, or where aplug is not desired, the wires 36 may be electrically connected tocorresponding wires of the tailgate power circuit 34 via any suitablemechanism, such as soldering, twist-on wire connectors, or the like. Insome embodiments, where only the inner gate panel 12-B is capable ofimpacting the ball mount system 16 (FIG. 1), the tailgate power circuit34 supplies power to the inner gate panel 12-B.

The switch 26 includes an actuator 42 configured to electrically couplethe two terminals 32 in an on state to allow power to flow in thetailgate power circuit 34, and thereby facilitate movement of the innergate panel 12-B with respect to the primary gate panel 12-A. In an offstate, the actuator 42 decouples the two terminals 32 to inhibit powerfrom flowing in the tailgate power circuit 34 and to inhibit movement ofthe inner gate panel 12-B with respect to the primary gate panel 12-A.

The actuator 42 comprises an actuation surface 44 that is configured tocause the switch 26 to transition from the on state to the off state bythe coupling of the ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube 14.Thus, an operator need only perform their normal process for couplingthe ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube 14 to transition theswitch 26 to the off state, and thereby disable the ability for theinner gate panel 12-B to pivot below the primary gate panel 12-A andaccidentally contact the ball mount system 16.

The actuation surface 44, in this embodiment, is configured totransition the switch 26 from the on state to the off state in responseto a hitch pin (sometimes referred to as a lock pin) being insertedthrough the hitch pin openings 22 of the hitch receiver tube 14 as theball mount system 16 is coupled to the hitch receiver tube 14. Asillustrated, the hitch receiver tube mount 28 is positioned on the hitchreceiver tube 14 to couple the actuation surface 44 with respect to thehitch pin opening 22, such that installation of a hitch pin during theprocess of coupling the ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube14 causes the switch 26 to be placed in the off state.

In this particular embodiment, the actuation surface 44 is placed in apath of a shaft portion of a hitch pin, so that installation of thehitch pin causes the shaft portion of the hitch pin to contact theactuation surface 44. In this embodiment, the tailgate deactivationsystem 24-1 includes a tab 46 that forms an opening 48, which can bepositioned during installation to be co-linear with one of the hitch pinopenings 22 of the hitch receiver tube 14 to facilitate positioning theactuation surface 44 and the hitch receiver tube mount 28 at a properlocation with respect to the hitch pin opening 22. It will be apparentthat the actuation surface 44 could be located at other locations on thehitch receiver tube 14 to cause the switch 26 to be activated during thecoupling of the ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube 14. Itwill also be apparent that the actuation surface 44 could be activatedby the installation of a hitch pin even if not located to be co-linearwith the hitch pin openings 22 depending on the shape and configurationof the hitch pin. For example, the actuation surface 44 may be placed ata location to be contacted by a stop collar of a hitch pin, or placed ata location where a hitch pin accessory, such as a hitch pin lock, makescontact with the actuation surface 44. It will also be appreciated thatthe switch 26 may comprise any suitable type of switch, such as aproximity switch or the like, that can be activated by the coupling ofthe ball mount system 16 to the hitch receiver tube 14.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate various example actuation surfaces 44, 44-1, 44-2that may be suitable for actuating the switch 26 during installation ofa hitch pin, according to different embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tailgate deactivation system 24-1coupled to the hitch receiver tube 14 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustrating a hitch pin installation according toone embodiment. In this embodiment, the tailgate deactivation system24-1 is configured such that the actuation surface 44 is placed in apath 50 of a hitch pin 52 during installation of the hitch pin 52 in thehitch pin openings 22 of the hitch receiver tube 14 and the shaftopenings 20 of the shaft 18 of the ball mount system 16. As the hitchpin 52 is installed, a portion of the hitch pin 52, in this example ashaft portion of the hitch pin 52, contacts the actuation surface 44 andthereby causes the switch 26 to be placed into the off state, therebyinhibiting power from flowing to the tailgate power circuit 34 of themulti-panel tailgate 12. It will be apparent that, in this embodiment,the hitch pin 52 may also be inserted into the hitch pin openings 22from the opposite direction of that shown in FIG. 5 to thereby contactthe actuation surface 44.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic of a tailgate deactivation system 24-2according to another embodiment. The tailgate deactivation system 24-2is substantially similar to the tailgate deactivation system 24-1,except as otherwise discussed herein. The tailgate deactivation system24-2 includes the hitch receiver tube mount 28 which is configured tofix a switch 26-1 to the hitch receiver tube 14 of the vehicle 10 (FIG.1). In this embodiment, the hitch receiver tube mount 28 comprises theL-bracket 30 that includes an adhesive (on the underside of theL-bracket) for coupling the L-bracket 30 to the hitch receiver tube 14.In other embodiments, the hitch receiver tube mount 28 may comprise aband that completely encircles the hitch receiver tube 14, or any othermechanism suitable to fixing the switch 26-1 with respect to the hitchreceiver tube 14, such as simply an adhesive strip, or the like.

The switch 26-1 includes the two terminals 32 configured to beelectrically coupled to the tailgate power circuit 34 that suppliespower to at least a portion of the multi-panel tailgate 12 (FIG. 1). Thetailgate deactivation system 24-2 may include the wires 36 coupled tothe terminals 32 that terminate in the plug 38 that can bepress-connected with the plug 40 of the tailgate power circuit 34. Inother embodiments, where the tailgate power circuit 34 does not includea suitable plug, the wires 36 may be electrically connected tocorresponding wires of the tailgate power circuit 34 via any suitablemechanism, such as soldering, twist-on wire connectors, or the like. Insome embodiments, where only the inner gate panel 12-B is capable ofimpacting the ball mount system 16 (FIG. 1), the tailgate power circuit34 supplies power to the inner gate panel 12-B.

The switch 26-1 includes an actuator 42-1 configured to, in an on state,electrically couple the two terminals 32 to allow power to flow in thetailgate power circuit 34, and thereby facilitate movement of the innergate panel 12-B with respect to the primary gate panel 12-A. In an offstate, the actuator 42-1 decouples the two terminals 32 to inhibit powerfrom flowing in the tailgate power circuit 34, and thereby inhibitmovement of the inner gate panel 12-B with respect to the primary gatepanel 12-A. In this embodiment, the actuator 42-1 is configured to beactuated by the exertion of physical force by an operator or otherindividual against the actuator 42-1 to manually depress the actuator42-1. In this example, the actuator 42-1 includes an actuation surfacein the form of a manual push-button 54, and the operator urges themanual push-button 54 to cause the switch 26-1 to be in the on state toallow power to flow in the tailgate power circuit 34. Pressing themanual push-button 54 a second time causes the switch 26-1 to be in theoff state to inhibit power from flowing in the tailgate power circuit34. Note that the L-bracket 30, in this example, positions thepush-button 54 to face in a direction behind the vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the tailgate deactivation system 24-2illustrated in FIG. 6. The tailgate deactivation system 24-2 may includean adhesive strip 56 coupled to the underside of the L-bracket 30 tofacilitate attachment of the L-bracket 30 to the hitch receiver tube 14.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic of a hitch pin installation according toanother embodiment. In this embodiment, the tailgate deactivation system24-2 is configured such that the push-button 54 faces a direction behindthe vehicle to facilitate easy actuation by an operator.

Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modificationsto the preferred embodiments of the disclosure. All such improvementsand modifications are considered within the scope of the conceptsdisclosed herein and the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tailgate deactivation system comprising: aswitch configured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate power circuitthat supplies power to at least a portion of a tailgate of a vehicle;and an actuator configured to cause the switch to transition from an onstate to an off state, in the on state the switch being configured toallow power to flow in the tailgate power circuit, and in the off statethe switch being configured to inhibit power from flowing in thetailgate power circuit.
 2. The tailgate deactivation system of claim 1wherein the actuator comprises an actuation surface that, whenactivated, causes the switch to transition from either the on state tothe off state, or from the off state to the on state.
 3. The tailgatedeactivation system of claim 2 wherein the actuation surface isconfigured to be contacted by a towing apparatus.
 4. The tailgatedeactivation system of claim 2 wherein the actuation surface comprises apush button that is configured to be manually contacted by a digit of auser.
 5. The tailgate deactivation system of claim 1 wherein the switchcomprises a proximity switch.
 6. The tailgate deactivation system ofclaim 1 wherein in the off state the switch is configured to inhibitpower to a portion of the tailgate power circuit that supplies power toan inner gate panel of the tailgate.
 7. The tailgate deactivation systemof claim 1 wherein in the off state the switch is configured to preventan inner gate panel of the tailgate from pivoting with respect to aprimary gate panel of the tailgate.
 8. The tailgate deactivation systemof claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises an actuation surface, theactuation surface configured to transition the switch from the on stateto the off state in response to a hitch pin being installed into a hitchpin opening of a hitch receiver tube of the vehicle.
 9. The tailgatedeactivation system of claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured totransition the switch from the on state to the off state in response toa coupling of a ball mount system to a hitch receiver tube of thevehicle.
 10. A tailgate deactivation system comprising: a switchconfigured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate power circuit thatsupplies power to an inner gate panel of a multi-panel tailgate of avehicle that includes a primary gate panel and the inner gate panel; andan actuator configured to cause the switch to transition from an onstate to an off state, in the on state the switch configured to allowpower to flow in the tailgate power circuit to facilitate movement ofthe inner gate panel with respect to the primary gate panel, and in theoff state the switch configured to inhibit power from flowing in thetailgate power circuit to inhibit movement of the inner gate panel withrespect to the primary gate panel.
 11. The tailgate deactivation systemof claim 10 wherein the actuator comprises an actuation surface, theactuation surface configured to transition the switch from the on stateto the off state in response to a hitch pin contacting the actuationsurface.
 12. The tailgate deactivation system of claim 11 wherein theactuation surface is configured to be contacted by a towing apparatus.13. The tailgate deactivation system of claim 10 wherein the actuator isconfigured to transition the switch from the on state to the off statein response to a coupling of a ball mount system to a hitch receivertube of the vehicle.
 14. A tailgate deactivation system comprising: aswitch configured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate power circuitthat supplies power to at least a portion of a tailgate of a vehicle,the switch having an on state and an off state, in the on state theswitch configured to allow power to flow in the tailgate power circuit,and in the off state the switch configured to inhibit power from flowingin the tailgate power circuit.
 15. The tailgate deactivation system ofclaim 14 wherein in the off state the switch is configured to inhibitpower to a portion of the tailgate power circuit that supplies power toan inner gate panel of the tailgate.
 16. The tailgate deactivationsystem of claim 14 wherein in the off state the switch is configured toprevent an inner gate panel of the tailgate from pivoting with respectto a primary gate panel of the tailgate.